James Goldston and Kerry Smith. Goldston is President of ABC News. Kerry is a Senior Vice President of Editorial Quality at ABC News.
It’s hard to say of James Goldston and or Kerry Smith stopped the publication of an important story, but they surely would have the top go, no go decision making capability. Hence, they are my Whiner(s) of the Week.
People decry the media from both sides depending on the story. Recently Project Veritas leaked a video which shows Amy Robach complaining to a fellow staffer about her Epstein story being quashed by the CBS News Management team.
Amy Robach’s story certainly seems news worthy, why was it stopped by management?
What other story’s are held back because of mis-managment? Are the young ladies molested in the last three years owed an apology by the network?
How did this story come back to life?
What I found interesting about this, is the story was dead, killed by ABC management. What reignited it?
Well, President Trump appointed R. Alexander Accosta to be his Labor Secretary. The ever diligent media poured over his resume and found that Accosta had been a federal prosecutor in Florida.
In 2008 Accosta handled the prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein. In today’s #MeTo , movement, 11-12 years later, Accosta’s deal with Epstein appearedto be too lenient. Hence the media made the decision, he must go.
The review of R. Alexander Accosta, thrust Jeffrey Epstein back into the limelight.
And Amy Robach, ever the Journalist with a great story to tell, looked back and remembered the election time of 2016, where her story, would mess with too many lives, and was quashed by her management. So she sat down, poured her heart out, and somebody taped it. Ouch!
The story could have damaged Hillary Clintons 2016 campaign, and the English Royal Family could take some hits, and others.
Leaked Project Veritas Video
The following video is from Project Veritas. It is a leaked video from an internal interview or discussion. Amy Robach did not know she was being filmed. You could see her sense of frustration at being held back from discussing the her storyfor three years.
No interviews with Royals Kate and Will, ouch!!
Amy Robach - On Jan 9, 2020, ABC will aire 'Truth and Lies: Jeffrey Epstein'. But Amy's work will not be featured.
Ashley Bianco, two time Emmy award winning journalist and a former ABC producer whom ABC alleges was the leaker, left ABC for CBS on Oct 28. ABC contacted CBS regarding her involvement. Project Veritas, James O'Keefe, has stated she is not the leaker. But CBS fired her anyway.
Jeffrey Epstein's Clinton Painting
Amy Robach. On Jan 9, 2020, ABC news will aire "Truth and Lies: Jeffrey Epstein' - two hour broadcast special. But Amy's interview with Virginia Roberts Giuffre won't be featured.
Hillary Clinton wearing a dress that looks strikingly similar to the dress her husband, Bill Clinton is wearing in Jeffrey Epstein's painting.
Jeff Zucker, president of CNN Worldwide. Zucker oversees CNN, CNN International, HLN, and CNN Digital. He has a firm grip on his staff, meeting with them at 0900 every morning to steer the news.
This weeks Whiner of the Week is Jeff Zucker, President of CNN. CNN in the days of Ted Turner prided itself on getting the news delivered quickly and precisely. Their slogan was “The Most Trusted Name In News“.
Today, CNN has changed a bit, pushing forward bits of news and appears to be emphasizing what the president of CNN wishes.
Project Veritas (PV) recently released a number of video tapes, available at youtube.com, made by an insider whistle blower. They edited these tapes a bit and put them out for public consumption. They appear to paint a picture of a CNN controlled by Jeff Zucker, who seems determined to nip at President Trump’s heels whenever possible. They can be long and somewhat repetitive. But what comes out of them is the feeling that CNN controls what news is presented, and how it is presented. The don’t report the facts as say Walter Cronkite might. They appear to actively spin the facts.
Did CNN Create The Trump Presidency?
In a strange way Jeff Zucker, when he was an NBC executive, helped create Donald Trump. As the head of the entertainment division his zeal for profits and ratings lead him to support Trump’s TV show, The Apprentice.
2:34-Nice video description how Jeff Zucker created and enabled the Trump Presidency.
This gave Trump national exposure in American Homes and helped ease his way into politics. Then Zucker took over CNN that was ailing at the time, and the Trump candidacy, and the coverage CNN gave it, boosted CNN, and gave Trump free advertising press that other candidates didn’t get. A Quid Pro Quo so to speak. Trump was a ratings machine. CNN was making money.
Leslie Moonves, chairman of CBS, said of the Trump phenomenon in March 2016, according to the Hollywood Reporter. “The money’s rolling in, and this is fun. It’s a terrible thing to say. But bring it on, Donald. Keep going.”
But then, because of timing of negative coverage on Hillary, (which she seems to have a history of), and Hillary’s not visiting key states, Trump wins the 2016 election.
Time to Slay the Dragon
Ouch! It appears Jeff Zucker had created a monster, and CNN has been mobilized ever since then to take the monster of Trump down.
It appears Jeff Zucker shifted the focus of CNN from just reporting the news, to attempting to report according to his narrative. Adia Jacobs describes some of the techniques in this video.
0:34-Adia Jacobs describes how they went from reporting to panels to shape the news.
CNN 9am Meeting with President Zucker
Trump does say some crazy things. How much is just real news, versus how much is a team sitting in a conference room saying crazy things, we will never know.
The alligator story and shooting migrants in the legs? Hard to say.
2:01-Some clips from Jeff Zuckers 9AM All Hands meeting. Once the meeting is over, the CNN team engages like good employees.
Patrick Davis describes how CNN attempts to push it’s narrative and create emergencies for viewers.
2:51-A CNN Field Ops manager describes how CNN pushes stories.
Some part of the PV tapes deal with the CNN newscasters and their perceived bias. Here a CNN team discusses Don Lemon.
0:49-a CNN team discusses the objectivity of Don Lemon.
Some part of the PV tapes deal with the CNN newscasters and their perceived bias. This video shows a correspondent off camera giving his opinion, which you will never hear on CNN. Journalism?
0:41-Senior Justice Correspondent Evan Perez, ever the company man, giving his opinion off-camera about a recent news event.
This 3:25 video from Project Veritas Part-1 describes a feeling among some employees about wanting to do real reporting, but money needs to be made, so….
191009-Susan Buchanan, an Oak Park Illinois trustee berated her fellow trustees for speaking on racial equity by telling them they have been "White From Birth"
This weeks Whiner of the Week is Susan Buchanan, a Trustee at the Village of Oak Parks Board of Health. The incident deserving of further review involved a Oct 7th meeting where she confronted her fellow white, male, commission members. By basically saying their views didn’t matter because they were, er, White Males.
This incident was reported in West Cook News and included some video footage of accusing her fellow members of being white. It was also reported in the Blaze.
Speaking to Oak Park Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb, a Palestinian immigrant, Buchanan said “Your skin is light enough. Stop it!“. He is a few shades darker then the other board members, but Susan grouped him in with the pasty white men.
Fellow Trustee stated, Dan Moroney replying to Susan Buchanan, “I think if we reduce these conversations to ‘nobody cares because you are a white male,’ I don’t think we’re doing this right,“.
The following video explains the jist of this weeks pick. It starts with Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb, a Palestinian immigrant, talking to Dan Moroney. Susan Buchanan explodes a bit and goes on a diatribe for a bit. In closing she accuses Anan Abu-Taleb of being white enough.
In Closing
Some might say Susan is right, these two men can’t possibly get it. But she appears to be a pasty white woman of privilege, the Mayor, a Palestinian immigrant has probably had a rougher time in life then she ever did.
Today’s Racism is about how many points you get. Obviously the old school White Male is at the bottom of today’s social ladder and is incapable of thought. A white woman appears to be a notch above that. But it appears, to me, that a Palestinian Immigrant has rights over a white woman in our new Woke way of thinking.
Just my perception on where things are headed.
But Susan Buchanan, a woman of privilege, should restrain her emotions. Susan Buchanan is an MD, M.P.H and was elected to the board in April of 2019.
190831-Debra Messing, probably best known as the girl in Will and Grace, seeks to copy what was happening in the 50's under the umbrella of what has been called McCarthyism, from the 50's and create a Hollywood Blacklist of peoples whose views she disagrees with. She might take a lesson from history, or at least watch the movie, "Trumbo".
Debra Messing is this weeks, Whiner of the Week for her desire to create, or start a Hollywood blacklist of people who disagree with her politically similar to what the House Un-American Activities Committee did back in the 50’s with the Hollywood 10.
190830-Debra Messing's tweet that seemed to start it all off.
190831-Eric McCormack, who plays the "Will" in Will and Grace, chimes in 55 minutes later to gives his co-worker in a boost.
190901-Donald Trump tweets back to Messing, reminding her of better days.
Eric McCormack, who plays Will on Will and Grace, later attempted to walk back stating he didn't support Blacklists, but thinks "transparency is essential". A very weak walk back. (Photo by Amanda Edwards/WireImage)
On The View, which is an 22 season Emmy award winning chatfest, in no way a right wing show, even Whoopi Goldberg spoke out against Debra Messing.
Actors, Screenwriters, and others could not find work if they appeared on this blacklist. Many lives were ruined, people lost their jobs, were fined, and some went to jail. Debra Messing and Eric McCormack have been living under the protection of Mayor DeBlasio for too long.
On July 25th, the New York Post reported that the Will and Grace Show will have air it’s final season in 2020. The shows creators stated there would be less “presidential” humor going forward. NBC pays about $2M per episode. So Debra and Eric will be looking for a gig next year. She might want to stop shaming people.
I want to be clear about my social media post from last week, which has been misinterpreted in a very upsetting way. I absolutely do not support blacklists or discrimination of any kind, as anyone who knows me would attest. I’d simply like to understand where Trump’s major donations are coming from, which is a matter of public record. I am holding myself responsible for making educated and informed decisions that I can morally and ethically stand by and to do that transparency is essential.
It is important to note that the McCarthy hearings were public record also. Blacklisting has been a Hollywood tactic for years. At least Debra and Eric are open about it.
Debra Messing tweeted out this apology from Eric McCormack. For some reason he didn't do it himself. He might have been tentative, sent it to Debra for review, and she did it. It came out as a jpeg picture, not text. Not really an apology. He still wants "to see who I won't be working with".
The left wing Hollywood types verbally state they value diversity and open ideas, yet the world becomes a sinister place if you disagree with them. Blacklists have existed in Hollywoods for years. Back in the 40's and 50's, they were sanctioned by government. We really don't want to go down this route again. AF Branco (comicallyincorrect.com)
Many equate the Hollywood 10 Blacklisting with McCarthy. Although similar in goals, they were different.
190103-Rashida Tlaib-Elected to Michigan's 13th district for the 116th congress. (wikiCommons)
Rashida Tlaib is this weeks, Whiner of the Week for flip flopping on her planned to trip to Israel. She is the Whiner this week as she was granted her trip to Israel but back-tracked, flip/flopped, and decided not to go. Was it a ploy.
She could have used this trip to her advantage, she would have had scores of media following her, she bailed. Whiner of the Week.
Timeline of Key Events
190727-The house votes on the H-Res 246, the Boycott Israel, (BDS) vote. Unfortunately for Rashida Tlaib, it is soundly defeated (c-span)
Tlaib had compared the HR246 bill as comparable to the American boycott of Nazi-Germany.
She was an early supporter of the bill, but the bill was trounced with it came time to vote.
August 5-11, 41 Democratic House Representatives, led by House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD). This Hoyer led trip was set up by AIPAC, a US/Israeli lobbying group.
Rashida and her fellow Representative Ilhan Omar chose not to go on this trip. Instead they chose to plan their own trip from August 18-22. , titled, “Delegation to Palestine“. Their itinerary is shown at the bottom of this article.
190815-Trumps tweet that appeared to cause the Israeli government to change to ban Omar and Tlaib, based on a 2017 Israeli law.
After Trump’s tweet, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, up for re-election Sept 17, 2019, on Thursday barred U.S. Democratic congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar from making a planned trip to Israel, the Guardian reported.
Netanyahu stated, “Only a few days ago, we received their itinerary(see below) for their visit in Israel, which revealed that they planned a visit whose sole objective is to strengthen the boycott against us and deny Israel’s legitimacy,”. Netanyahu said that if Tlaib submitted a request to visit family on humanitarian grounds, Israel would consider it as long as she promised not to promote a boycott against Israel.
190815-Tliab writes a letter to Aryeh Deri, Minister of the Interior, Israel, requesting to see her grandmother. Early Friday morning, Israel Granted This Request. However, just hours later she stated Tlaib said she had decided not to travel to Israel under conditions that would have included a pledge in writing not to “promote boycotts against Israel” while there. Her letter did state she would respect restrictions.
190816-Friday Trump tweets (twitter)
The following video, August 19, 2019, shows Tlaib making a statement highlighting the human costs of “travel restrictions”.
If she had gone and visited her grandmother, she might have been a more effective change advocate.
Israel's Legal Viewpoint and Backing
Back on March 6, 2017, the Israeli government inacted a strengthened an anti-boycott Israeli law the Jerusalem Post reported.
It is important to realize Israel is a separate country.
A Dr. Amir Fuchs, an Israeli Democracy Institute researcher viewed the law analytically stating, it’s wording only appears to impact a foreign BDS campaigner “with standing… who can really impact the situation and cause others to boycott Israel.” Rashida Tlaib, as a US House Representative, definitely has standing and would qualify under his interpretation.
A sample of Tlaib's Unflattering Moments
The previous video was taken sometime in August of 2016. It shows Rashida Tlaib being dragged out of a Trump rally. Somehow her decorum was not up to standards.
She is shown here stating “that you guys are crazy”. okay….
Someone yells, “get a job”. She does, two months later she is elected into her Michigan”s 13th congressional district.
The previous video was taken on Jan 3rd, 2017, right after her inauguration. Rashida Tlaib sets the stage for entry into the 116th congress. After being sworn in by Nancy Pelosi, She states, “we are going to impeach the Mother$$$ker!”.
Tlaib/Omar Trip Itinerary
Tliab/Omar Israeli trip agenda for Aug-18, 2019
Tliab/Omar Israeli trip agenda for Aug-19, 2019
Tliab/Omar Israeli trip agenda for Aug-20, 2019
A new lawsuit against her
Laura Loomer, a reporter/political activists/journalist has initiated a $2M lawsuit against Tlaib for assault.
The following video shows Laura trying to ask questions of Rashida at a town meeting.
On a lighter note
Donald Trump was called a "racist" for making the equivalent of the 70's statement of "Love it or leave it". (branco/creators.com)
CNN’s Chris Cuomo made the news this week by having a confrontation with a gentlemen. It was recorded on video, posted, and seems to have everyone interested in it. It shows Chris Cuomo getting extremely upset and angry. Nominally Chris Cuomo is pitching hardballs, to anyone his news organization does not agree with and wants to take down. Yet one comes to him, and he fights back hard. The opposing person, used the term “Fredo” against him.
If a woman newscaster had acted in the same manner, would CNN have supported her as they have backed him? Or, is the Cuomo name too powerful in New York for even CNN to walk away from?
The urbandictionary.com definition of "fredo". Chris Cuomo's father was the governor of New York from 1983-94. And his brother Andrew Cuomo is the current governor of New York. So his Chris not as successful as his brother the governor? Will the Urban Dictionary update this definition from 2005 based on this new turmoil?
The video, entrapment? Homer likes donuts, Cuomo likes talking harsh
The video that follows is the video that seemed to cause all of the ruckus. Chris, normally disparaging people left and right on his show is on the defensive here. Note the content may not be suitable for young children.
Ideally, his mother would have told him this. Smile, turn your head, and walk away. That’s what your big brother would do. Chris appears to be standing up for his ideals here in a mafioso like fashion.
Hopefully Chris wasn’t take any health or fitness medications to cause this level of rage. He walked right into this mess.
Cuomo been pitching hard, Trump finally returns one
190812-Donald Trump's tweet to Chris Cuomo. Chris has not always treated the President kindly. Cuomo cuts Trump to pieces daily, and Trump sends a tweet. Ouch? or just an Owee? (twitter)
The previous video shows Chris Cumo’s head spliced into the original Godfather Movie where the famous “Fredo” lines occur.
The following video shows a Jan/2010 interview between Chris Cuomo and Curtiz Sliwa of AM 970 in New York.
Chris Cuomo did try and use the Race Card, always in a CNN News Anchor’s holster, here a bit stating this was the equivalent of the “N” word. However the “N” word has a few hundred years of oppression behind it. And Fredo is just a term from a movie popular almost 50 years ago. Just because he might have some Italian ancestry, the race card might not be appropriate.
Some have said the term Fredo is insulting to Italians. Here on Chris Cuomo’s show on Jan 19, 2019, the term is used against Donald Trump Jr, a non-italian. Some would counter that just because the first use of the term is against Fredo Corleone, that italians can’t claim to be hurt by it soley. In modern progressive parlance, that’s “Cultural Appropriation“. The term could apply to any male who has a brother.
Jake Tapper, Cuomo’s colleague, has also used the term against Jarrod Kushner, Muammar Qaddafi’s son, and one his own personal pets, a dog.
CNN has a minor history of using the word. And you can find many videos of Chris Cuomo giving very harsh advice to the rest of us.
Living in the Shadow of your brother, the Governor
In closing, Chris Cuomo does have to live in the shadow of his father, and brother, both Governors. So even though he may feel inferior to them, it’s probably not wise to let the rest of the world think he is the “black sheep” in the family. And given this incident, whenever I see Chris Cuomo going forward, I will think of the Fredo character and, it will be hard NOT to think of Fredo Corelone famous lines of:
It ain’t the way I wanted it! I can handle things! I’m smart! Not like everybody says…like dumb…I’m smart and I want respect!
190814-Chris Cuomo's apology on Twitter. Everyone has gone home and said to the wife. Jeepers, what got into me, why the heck did I say that today. (twitter)
On Aug-17, 2019, TMZ reported that one of the original stars of the Godfather, “Gianni Russo”, stated, “Chris made an ass out of himself, and his family, by flipping out over the insult … not to mention suggesting it was an ethnic slur against Italians. That’s nonsense … all Fredo means is that someone’s weak, there’s nothing else to it.” And he added, “Chris’s dad, ex-Gov.Mario Cuomo, woulda smacked him over this.”
2019/31-Whiner of the Week, Nicole Wallace, MSNBC Host stated Trump called for the 'extermination of Latino's'. Was she was confusing Baltimore's rodents with Latino's. Did she eat a good breakfast that morning? (msnbc)
MSNBC’s Nicole Wallace, on Tuesday, August 6, 201, made the statement that Trump is calling for ‘exterminating’ Latinos. For this extraordinary viewpoint, she is the Whiner of the Week for the 31st week in 2019. Did she get this story confused with the story about Elijah Cummings, a previous Whiner of the Week? Extermination of rodents were an issue there.
This short clip shows the part of the video where interviewing USA Today opinion columnist, Paul Reyes, and their dialogue led her to imply that Trump called for the Extermination of Latinos.
The media does not seem to understand the term, “fake news”.
A longer, 2:35 clip can be found on YouTube Here. She did issue a partial apology on Twitter that still held to her political views. The “Breaking News” headline while she is talking is somewhat interesting. Can you read it?
190806-MSNBC host Nicole Wallace apology for slipping in, incorrectly, Trump was calling for the Extermination of Latino's. (twitter)
Not an invasion by "Armed Forces", but definitely a lot of people on their way to America to hopefully make a new home in the states. Most are hardworking folks willing to work longer hours and for less money then your average American. A long journey, a few weeks in a detention camp, and you are in. The lure is too great. (sky.com)
Invasion Definition via bing.com. Not all "invasions" require the use of muskets and swords. Of the three here, the second and the third might apply. (bing.com)
2019-July border stats for crossings. Almost 6 years are shown. FY2017/grey line, 1st three months shows folks trying to squeeze in as Obama was still President but shows a massive dip as Trump became President, probably because of his rhetoric. FY2018/orange line, a standard curve roughly matching Obama curves. FY2019/red line, shows a dramatic increase given the new tactic of using Asylum as a protection. This wave was visible on media a few months before Jan/2019, and as they made it through Mexico and started hitting the border. Pelosi and Schummer denied it in Jan/2019, but in March they changed their tune. (https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/sw-border-migration)
190727-Elijah Cummings, after repeatedly throwing hardballs at Donald Trump, pulls the racist card out after Donalds lobs his first softball back at Mr. Cummings.
Saturday, July 27, 2019 Donald trump tweeted, “Why is so much money sent to Elijah Cummings district when it is considered the worst run and most dangerous city anywhere in the United States. No human being would want to live there. Where is all this money going? How much is stolen? Investigate this corrupt mess immediately.”
Elijah Cummings is been the House Representative since 1996 for Maryland’s 7th disctrict.
This immediately set off a firestorm of racial accusations. But an analysis of the text above, if it was stated by anyone other then Donald Trump would probably be not be termed racial motivated. Just naming Representative Cummings, a 36 year fixture in the House, does not mean it is racial.
190727-Baltimore has the highest per capita homicide in the US. (Baltimore Sun Data)
If you review 232 countries in the world. Only El Salvador, Jamaica, and Venezula have higher per capita murder rates than Baltimore.
Reviewing other statistics from numerous sources sometimes put other US cities at the top, but Baltimore is not a safe city by this statistic.
Elijah Cummings has spent the last two years beating up Trump. Which is all fine and good as it’s politics. But, his race does not give him a shield to protect him from critique. He has thrown many political hardballs toward Donald Trump over the past few years. When Trump lobs a softball his way. He melts, and pulls the race card out. He calls out the Big Gun, Nancy Pelosi to help battle Trump and divert attention.
1907027-Bernie Sanders tweeted about conditions in Baltimore while running in the 2016 campaign. No charges of racism for Bernie?
The Baltimore Sun reported Bernie Sanders likened West Baltimore to a “third world country” when he toured the city in Dec of 2015 (months before the tweet to the left). But Bernie, from pasty white Vermont, is not a racist.
Like any large city, Baltimore does have a rat problem. The city provides a website with tips to prevent them. The biggest benefit is obtained by keeping trash in cans and keeping streets and alleyways clean. Baltimore has issues following the cities guidelines.
In 2018, Orkin, once again put Baltimore in the top ten of US cities with a rat problem. In 2018 it moved from #8 to #9. An improvement.
But we doubt Elijah Cummings had anything to with this. But could he do more to help out?
The video above or on the left is from a Sept 2018 Fox-45 broadcast where Mayor Pugh toured a part of the city. Perhaps Trump saw this or another show. Around the same time the Baltimore Sun was reporting on food markets and restaurants closing because of the rodent problem.
190727-Nancy Pelosi, ever protective of the flock of Democrat House Representatives, fires back to protect Rep Cummings from Trumps twitter onslaught. Nancy Pelosi's father, Thomas “Big Tommy” D’Alesandro, Jr, was a three term Mayor of Baltimore. So she may have a soft spot for Mr. Cummings district. Would her father, the Mayor, be proud of today's Baltimore? (twitter)
On August 6, 1999, Rep. Cummings made this speech before the house. He talked of his Drug Infested city.
He did not call his constituents “deplorables”, instead he used the term “ZOMBIES”. Eh?
What Baltimore could really use is a Manhattan Style project on trash pickup. If every city employee would put down their spreadsheet work and spend 16 hours a quarter picking up trash, a large part of the problem could be solved.
If Cummings was white, would Trump have said the same mean things?
I believe so, do you?
Other Stuff
190727-A statistical ranking of the worlds cities by homicide rate per 100,000 people. Interestingly all of the on this list of 23, all, with the exception of Capetown, South Africa, are in North or South America. Baltimore here ranks 23rd. Only St Louis is higher in this ranking.
What started all of this? Well one, Cummings has been threatening the President for 2-1/2 years now. He has to expect a return softball every now and then. Additionally, Fox News reported on Aug-8, Jack Brewer, a former NFL player, stated he personally asked President Trump a few weeks prior to bring attention to the issues of Baltimore.
“I had a chance to meet with President Trump, and I told him please call out Elijah Cummings and Baltimore. I asked him to do that three weeks ago and he did it,” said Brewer, a former NFL linebacker from 2002 to 2006.
“I’m seeing these kids that don’t have any core, no culture within them. They don’t have anyone teaching them or training them,” Brewer explained.
Brewer also recently penned an article on NewsMax.com titled:
190720-President Donald Trump with Jack Brewer at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., July 20, 2019 (abc news)
And on a lighter note, the HBO Show, "The Wire". Set and produced in Baltimore. 60 episodes from Jun/2002 to Mar/2008. The five subjects are, in chronological order: the illegal drug trade, the seaport system, the city government and bureaucracy, education and schools, and the print news medium. From wikipedia, "The Wire" is lauded for its literary themes, its uncommonly accurate exploration of society and politics, and its realistic portrayal of urban life. Although during its original run the series received only average ratings and never won any major television awards, it is now regarded by many critics as one of the greatest television shows of all time. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wire)
July 26, 2019, Wayfair employees in Boston walk off the job to protest the sale of beds to Baptist Church Family Services. The beds were slated to be used in border detention facilities. (c)
Wednesday, June 26, 2019, up to 500 employees, about 10% of the company. of the eCommerce company, Wayfair, walked off the job after the execs,refused to back out of a contracted sale of $200K worth of beds.
They were protesting the company’s decision to sell the beds to Baptist Church and Family Services(BCFS) which is a non-profit in charge of running a number of the border detention facilities.
Congressional delegates have made visits to the detention facilities and noted the lack of beds. ICE responded by attempting to purchase more beds.
And the Wayfair employees do not want their company to be the one supplying the beds for the migrants.
If not Wayfair, than which company?
With the economy strong, and employment plentiful, employees at various companies across the US have become more forceful in impressing their political views on their companies management.
Walkouts over employee grievances have occurred at companies such as Google. Apple recently decided to move assembly from Austin to China because of a lack of contract workers willing to work for the minimum wage.
NPR, for whom Wayfair is a sponsor, reported that Employee Elizabeth Good stated, “I am proud to work at Wayfair and I’m proud to continue the dialogue that will lead to us ending the support of concentration camps at our southern border,” said employee Elizabeth Good at the walkout.
NPR web report on the Wayfair bed purchase incident, with a Wayfair ad on their page. Not a big deal, but odd? (d)
Since the original date of publishing, 190116. Gavin Newsom has become Governor of California. He seems to agree with Trump that Calif needs to begin managing it’s forests better. He declared a “State-of-Emergency” on March 22, 2019.This action by the Democratic governor follows President Donald Trump’s repeated criticism of California’s wildfire prevention efforts. California’s esteemed legal community, still looks to PG&E as the fall guy however.
This week’s, 2019-Week-02, Weekly Whiner is none other than Donald Trump. On Jan 9th, 2019 Trump warned he would cut off federal funds to fight California fires. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif immediately took the emotional ground and responded that Trump’s threat, “insults the memory of scores of Americans who perished in wildfires last year & thousands more who lost their homes.“
The California and the Federal government both need to take a non-emotional
look at how they want to handle fire prevention and fire fighting in the future.
The last two years, 2018(8,527 fires burning 1.893 million acres) and 2017(9,133 fires burning 1.381 million acres), have seen California have a number of deadly fires. The biggest of which are:
Camp Fire 2019 – The nation’s deadliest fire in a century. 153,336 acres, at least 85 people dead, 19,000 buildings destroyed. Nov 8-25.
Mendocino Fire 2019 – The largest California fire at 459,123 acres, 157 residences destroyed, 1 fire-fighter killed
California on August 1st, 2018. Clouds along the coast. But fires in the heartland. wikipedia
Donald Trump has stated that California mismanages its forests. And Governor Brown and now newly elected Gavin Newsom have stated that California is a victim of climate change. They both have stated that Trump is wrong.
When I was a small boy, as a Boy Scout, I used to watch out the window as we drove off to go camping thru out the state. I used to see fire breaks everywhere to help prevent and fight, the fires that start easily in California forests as California does not receive any rain at all from May to sometimes November/December. Driving these same roads I no longer see these breaks, but I can still see where they were as the trees are smaller.
Where did these fire breaks go?
A Fire Break in the California chaparral. As long as it’s not windy, fire-breaks work great. It is easier to create them as needed in this type of terrain. But with big trees, they have to be there already. wikiCommons
In the years of 1960-1990 foresters used to harvest 10-12 billion board feet from its national forest’s. Given California’s growth and housing need this should be a much larger figure 28 years later.
Then as the Sierra Club and other environmental groups started gaining more control, this harvest reached a low of 2.5 billion board feet in 2013. California became an mass importer of lumber. Effectively moving perceived environmental damage to another location, a common California tactic. Not to mention the extra trucking environmental costs to bring this imported lumber across the continent.
People had complained the loggers damaged the forest floor and harmed wildlife. The Spotted Owl was a poster child for the environment. California, to build the homes needed by its burgeoning population, switched to Canada as a provider of choice to build its homes. In addition, prescribed burns for Southern California’s chaparral and grasslands, done in the semi-moist period of March-May, were stymied by environmental lawsuits and air quality concerns.
If you go back a few hundred years, large portions of California would burn until the winter rains came. The Indian tribes have stories and legends of these fires. There was nothing anybody could do about it except stay out of the way. And it will continue.
California’s oak and redwood trees adapted to these fires that occurred every 15-20 years. California has a stated 3.5-million-person housing shortage. The homeless count is large and growing, the sanctuary state and city policies create a magnet, and a healthy economy has real workers wanting to move to California.
Existing business and old time residents have Proposition 13 to assist them in staying in the state as new businesses and residents shoulder the costs. In addition in 1986 and 1996 respectively, California voters passed Propositions 58 and 193, which extended Prop 13 to exclude from reassessment property transfers between parents and children (58) and grandparents and grandchildren (193). So California has really pushed immigration in order to obtain funds to expand government services. This has created a quasi-feudal system taxes between old and new neighbors for a similar abode which are taxed differently. The new owner may pay taxes 10 times more than their next door neighbor, an old resident. Not quite “Equal Protection” under the law.
Under Prop-193, a grandparent can pass multiple rental properties to their heirs without a step up in basis. In a few more decades, this will become a much larger issue
California has a choice. They can balk and complain about paying Tariffs for Canadian lumber to build houses, yet they don’t seem willing to gently and wisely harvest their own forests.
If they did build the number of houses needed, house values would fall, and impact the value of the higher priced houses, possibly causing California to have a tax shortage. But more houses would make up the lower house prices as demand would ease.
You can harvest the lumber wisely. Or let it all eventually burn.
California might look at their new houses being built by California harvested wood as Carbon Banking. In 2018 alone, it is estimated just California’s wild fires caused 50 million metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. California’s environmentalist need to look at the macro-environment picture rather than the pretty forest floor in their backyard.
California’s present population is ~40 million. In 2030 it is estimated to be ~44.1 million. These new people and a lot of existing people will need a few million new homes. Other materials than wood can and should be looked at. But California needs to use some of its own wood. It should try and avoid it being used up in fires.
California is ranked 49th out of 50, per capita in building homes. California is short 3.5 million houses. California politicians love to talk about high house prices. But, building material costs are high, (we can’t use Calif wood). And permit and other building fees are near the highest in the nation. They really try and import people.
The earth’s population at about 7 billion now, is expected to grow to 9.6 billion by 2050. California is a magnet for a lot of these people because of the jobs and great weather.
I live here because of the weather.
Last August the California legislature authorized $200m for more firefighting related expenditures. On Jan 8th, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom had added an additional $170m for similar expenditures to his proposed budget.
But as of yet nobody in the state government is talking about managing the fuel load with fire breaks, forest floor management, and thinning of the trees.
A fire break in a forest. Although this is narrow and the tree’s are recovering. All is well. California could use more of these. What do you do with the wood, hmm, houses?? wikiCommons
PG&E today is being blamed for the Camp Fire. Their liability is being estimated at $30B which will bankrupt the company. Nobody is talking about the homeowners and business owners that created unsafe conditions that encouraged the fire to spread. Wood roofs, dense brush around homes, dry wood around the buildings. It’s easier to blame PG&E rather than your neighbor.
Some might say that PG&E is a victim of climate change. There has been discussion of burying power lines. Some have estimated this would cost $100B to do this. A lot of money. This would save money in the long run. But the rate payers would pay.
Many homes survived the Camp Fire. The factors they had in common were:
Having a fuel break around the house. No over-hanging trees, tree’s set back. No firewood storage near the house. Dry brush cleared away, 50-75 feet plus. Fuel breaks can be thinning of the brush under the trees as a secondary break.
Being built of combustion resistant materials. Non-wood roofing. Stucco outsides or cement based products
Fences or Walls made out of non-combustible materials. Californians seem to love walls or fences around their houses. Privacy breaks, walls, forests or fences should be combustible resistant.
Limited dry landscape material around the house. A good fire break, but with dry material around the house does not help if it’s windy on fire day!
Not being near a neighbor who didn’t follow the above practices. This is key. If PG&E had a fire start, the forest will burn, yes. But in a town, it highly likely your neighbors and your fire prevention techniques will determine your outcome.
A home that survived a fire in a forest. Note the building materials. Non-combustible roof. Stucco walls. Lot’s of space around the house. The trees are set back. Green lawns, hmm, that suck water, also don’t burn. USDA photo
Hmm, this weeks Weekly Whiner is Donald Trump and we’ve barely mentioned him here. He is what I would call a Butt-Head for his comments to withhold FEMA funds. He is correct California should do more.
Ask a Californian politician if they could manage the forest better, they will say, of course. But you will never get a California politician to admit blame for our past forest practices.
But FEMA is set up to assist people in these types of situations. He shouldn’t withhold funds. Donald Trump would get more done if he was a kinder and gentler president.
